Karlie Kloss revives legendary LIFE magazine with eye-watering $45 price tag for its 250-page comeback issue

Supermodel-turned-media entrepreneur Karlie Kloss is bringing LIFE magazine back to newsstands, but nostalgia won't come cheap, with readers expected to pay $45 for a single copy.The iconic photography title will return to regular print publication on November 23 with a lavish quarterly edition, marking its first such comeback since 2007.At 250 pages, the debut issue is a hefty proposition for anyone accustomed to flicking through magazines on the commute or scrolling through headlines for free.Titled 'Where Are We Now?', it will feature more than 120 contributors exploring the state of the world through stories about scientists, artists, athletes, entrepreneurs and everyday Americans.And in a departure from the traditional magazine business model, the issue will carry no conventional print advertisements.Instead, electric vehicle maker Rivian and design software company Figma are sponsoring the launch, offering a glimpse of how the revived publication hopes to pay its bills.Kloss, 34, who is married to investor Joshua Kushner, secured the deal to revive LIFE through her company Bedford Media in 2024.The venture also places her in the wider Kushner family orbit, as Joshua's brother Jared is married to Ivanka Trump, the daughter of President Donald Trump.Supermodel-turned-media entrepreneur Karlie Kloss is bringing LIFE magazine back to newsstands, but nostalgia won't come cheap, with readers expected to pay $45 for a copySpeaking to The New York Times, Kloss said LIFE's enduring appeal lay in its ability to make distant places and unfamiliar people feel more immediate.'And our responsibility is to preserve and to protect that legacy,' she said.The former Victoria's Secret model said she was concentrating on building the commercial side of the business, leaving editorial decisions to the magazine's staff.The relaunch is being overseen by a heavyweight team, including creative director Richard Turley, who has held senior roles at MTV, Bloomberg Businessweek and Interview.He has recruited former New York Times Magazine editor Hugo Lindgren, former Times photo editor Eve Lyons and former Times pop music editor Caryn Ganz. But while the editorial credentials are impressive, the price could prove a tougher sell.At $45, LIFE is positioning itself as a luxury collectible rather than an everyday magazine, with its owners betting that readers will pay a premium for beautifully presented photography and carefully curated stories.Amore Philip, founder of Apples & Oranges Public Relations, believes that the first buyer will likely be a collector rather than a regular reader.She warned that the real challenge would come with the third issue, when the initial excitement surrounding the revival had faded and the content would have to justify its place on the shelf. LIFE went on to become one of America's most influential publications, using striking photojournalism to document wars, political upheaval, celebrities and ordinary life At its peak around 1970, circulation reached approximately 8.5 million copies a week, an extraordinary audience by today's print-media standardsPhilip said the magazine should focus on cultivating a smaller, premium audience rather than trying to reclaim its former mass-market readership.She also suggested corporate sponsorships could prove more lucrative than conventional print advertising, provided commercial partnerships did not compromise readers' trust.'Success is a renewal rate, not a launch-day sellout,' she told The New York Post.LIFE has quite the history to live up to. The magazine launched in its modern form in 1936, with its first issue selling for just 10 cents and featuring photographer Margaret Bourke-White's image of Montana's Fort Peck Dam.It went on to become one of America's most influential publications, using striking photojournalism to document wars, political upheaval, celebrities and ordinary life.At its peak around 1970, circulation reached approximately 8.5 million copies a week, an extraordinary audience by today's print-media standards.But the rise of television, competition from specialist publications and mounting printing and postage costs eventually took their toll.Time Inc. ended LIFE's weekly run in December 1972 after the publication had accumulated losses of roughly $30 million from 1969 onwards.A monthly version returned in 1978, only for regular publication to end again in 2000, when circulation had fallen to around 1.5 million.A free newspaper supplement followed in 2004, reaching readers through participating newspapers before that incarnation was discontinued in April 2007.This time, Kloss is aiming to build a broader media business, with plans for a website, social media content, documentaries, short-form videos, events and special editions alongside the quarterly magazine.However, Bedford Media does not control LIFE's vast historical photography archive, which remains with People Inc., formerly known as Dotdash Meredith.Kloss has also invested in other publishing ventures, including fashion magazine i-D and W, as she looks to establish herself beyond the catwalk.She acknowledged that turning LIFE into a profitable business would take time, telling The New York Times that the company was focused on making measurable progress rather than meeting an arbitrary deadline.Whether readers will embrace the return remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: At $45 an issue, LIFE will need to deliver plenty of picture-perfect moments to convince magazine lovers to part with their cash.